Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Crash
by Sabaku Luver
Summary: Sakura Haruno always had a pretty stressful life and when her she told her boyfriend she didn't think she could balance her job, going back to college for a second degree, and a serious relationship she thought he'd understand. He didn't take it well.
1. The Crash

**A/N: AAAHHHH!! I'M SO SORRY! I've been busy for ages and trying to be a better writer and I got caught up in a whole bunch of things with my love life and gah! I'm sorry! I should've added stories sooner! . Sorry! Don't kill me! Well, I was just checking my e-mail and I saw someone had favorite one of my stories so I thought it was damn well time I made an update and this came to mind for some reason. So, here's a brand new story to make up for my absence! Hope you guys like it! R&R please! (P.S. To those who haven't read it or noticed, I'm discontinuing **_**Speed of Teen Angst**_** for now. I'm gonna rewrite it and repost it later! … eventually. Sorry to all SoTA fans!)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, the title (which I'm pretty sure the idea came from a song…) or any items mentioned (cars, songs, headsets, stores, etc.). I just own the idea and storyline. Oh, and the story itself! That helps too… and I partially own the laptop I write it on, does that count for anything?**

**Chapter 1**

**The Crash**

I brushed my cherry-blossom behind my ear as I held onto the steering wheel of my new silver Infiniti G35. My emerald green eyes focused on the road and the wind shield wipers worked furiously to give me a clear view as the rain pounded on the car.

"Hinata, his insurance doesn't cover the surgery. We can't make excuses for him," I said into my Bluetooth headset that wrapped around one of my ears. "I know, I know, it's not fair. Hinata! We don't have the authority to do that! Life's not always fair, we have to deal with it."

I pressed on the gas pedal harder out of frustration. Hinata was always so nice, always trying to give people breaks and give them excuses. Didn't she understand that if she keeps this up she'll lose her job? We'll have no other choice.

"Hinata! No means no, dammit!" I practically yelled into the headset. She went slightly quiet.

"I-I'm sorry Sakura-san… I just really want to help them…" she mumbled into the phone.

"I know, Hinata, but we can't help everyone." I looked down and sighed. A moment later I heard the honk of a horn and my head jerked up. I swerved to the side as a car drove directly at me.

"What the hell?! Where'd you learn how to drive asshole?!" I screamed at no one in particular.

"I-Is everything okay, Sakura-san?" Hinata asked, panic raising in her voice.

"Yeah, yeah. Everything's fine, Hinata. Don't worry. Traffic's just completely crazy at this time of night." I said with a tired sigh. I wanted to get home fast. It was already midnight and I still had to work on that term paper for college when I got home. Why the _hell_ did I go back to college for another degree anyway? Why did I have to be such a God damn over achiever?

"Well, you should go get some rest, Hinata. From the looks of it, tomorrow's gonna be pretty busy."

"Wh-What does that mean Sakura-san?!" Hinata asked, panicking again. I hit the brakes as the light in front of me turned red.

I chuckled a little. She was always scared so easily. "Nothing, I was trying to make a joke about the traffic! I'm sure it'll just be another day, though."

"O-Oh… that wasn't nice Sakura-san!" Hinata said as she got as frustrated as she ever did.

"I know, I'm sorry Hinata. I won't do it again," I lied, she knew I was too. I don't _think_ she really minded. I've been wrong before, though.

The light turned green and I hit the gas. I started forward before I had time to hear the warning honk. It all happened like I everything was covered in syrup. It slowly flowed through like in slow motion. I'll never forget even one little detail. I turned my head to the left as I saw the rusted up old-fashioned red truck that you'd expect some type of hick to drive. It honked the horn again as it sped in my direction at what seemed to me like a snail's pace. I reached down to hit the gas. My foot hit the pedal and I started to move. _'C'mon, c'mon! Move, dammit!'_ I screamed in my head.

The car inched forward just enough to get me right in the position for the car to hit the driver's seat. The rusty old truck slammed into my side of the door full force. I would say it was going at least 60 MPH.

And just like that

I died.

**A/N: Yes! So, that's chapter one! Sorry if it's too short! I wanted to make it short and to the point! I guess it was more of a prologue to the story though... oh, well. I hope you guys liked it. I must be infamous for somewhat depressing stories now… I shall fix that! This one should get better... sorta. It'll be funny and happy with a sad undertone if it comes out the way I want. Well, R&R please! Thanks for reading!**


	2. The Breakup

**A/N: Okay, he's chapter two. It's a flashback really. Yes, this story will probably bounce back and forth between times and most of the chapter will be pretty short. I don't have too much time any more, sadly. So, yes, the chapters will mostly be short, sorry! Gaara's pretty OOC (Out Of Character, just in case) in this chapter, sorry! He becomes more Gaara-ish towards the end, I think. Well, hope you like it, in spite of that! R&R!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or even the title of this story. I just own the idea and the follow through.**

**Chapter 2**

**The Breakup**

"Honey, I'm home!" I call out as I drop off my work laptop and suitcase by the front door of the apartment and turn around to lock it. I turn the dead bolt and I feel icy cold arms wrap around my waist.

"Welcome home," Gaara says and I feel his icy breath on my neck making me arch my head back.

"You can stop that," I said as I grabbed his arms and pulled them away from my waist. I turn to face him with a smirk on my face.

"Not in the mood tonight?" Gaara asks, raising an imaginary eyebrow and letting his crimson hair fall in his coal rimmed jade eyes.

"I had a really long day, kay?" I say and walk past him. He grabs my arm and pulls me into his chest in a hug. I sighed and hugged him back. "Thanks."

"I'm sorry you had a tough day, but I think I have something to cheer you up," he says, rubbing my back with his coarse hands.

I look up at him from where my head lay resting on his chest. I really have to since he's about a head and a half taller than me. "Oh? What is it?" I ask with a bright smile and excitement lighting up my emerald eyes.

He smirks in amusement. "It's a surprise," he says and lightly kisses my forehead.

"I hate surprises, you know that!" I protest with a pout.

He chuckles a little. "I think you'll like this one." He lets go of me and starts walking towards the kitchen that's to his right. "Come to the kitchen and find out what it is." He says, looking back and winking at me.

Intrigued, I follow him through the somewhat small apartment. It has one bedroom that connects to the only bathroom; a single kitchen that consists of a counter, a stove, a microwave that hangs above the stove, and a table that can barely seat four people if they squished together; then there's the living where the front door is. It has a small leather couch that can fit two people comfortably, one leather chair, and an outdated TV that looked like it could've been made in the 80's. It's an open plan house and the only doors in the house are the front door, the bedroom door, and the bathroom door.

Gaara leads me to the small table and pulls out one of the wobbly chairs out for me. "What a gentleman," I say with a sly smile.

"Only for the lady of the house," he says and kisses me lightly. _'He's in an oddly romantic mood, tonight,'_ I think to myself, but decide not to ask him about it.

I sit down in the chair and he pushes it in, "or the run-down apartment in our case."

"Great gifts come in ugly wrapping paper," he says as he walks over to the counter and starts shuffling through a green plastic bag that was left resting there.

"Is that one of those so called _'great gifts'_?"

"Only one way for you to find out," he says as he walks back over with the contents of the bag closed in his hands.

"Hurry! Don't keep _a lady_ waiting!" I cross my arms. This one had better be good. The last gift he gave me was awful. A cherry blossom scented car freshener in the shape of a panda, a mixture of us both. I'm not sure what he was thinking when he bought it, but I told him I loved it of course. After all, I couldn't really tell him that it was stupid as hell. Besides, it's the thought that counts… right?

"Shit!" Gaara said as he lost grip of the gift and it fell to the ground with a quiet _thud_.

"Well, I hope it wasn't fragile," I say and giggle a little.

He chuckles and kneels down on one knee to pick it up, "I don't think that would break it."

I turn in my chair to face him and cross my legs. "So, you gonna tell me what it is now? Or just show me?"

"It's only half as good if I tell you beforehand… and speaking of hands…" he says, trailing off at the end.

My breath catches in my throat. _'No, no, no, no, no, no, no!'_ I scream in my head. _'He wouldn't, he's not; no way! Please tell me he's not about to—'_ he holds up a small purple velvet box and looks up at me from his kneeling position on the floor.

'_He is.'_

"May I have yours in marriage?" he asks, opening the box to reveal a golden ring with a tiny diamond on top of it. I gulp hard and feel my hands start to sweat.

"G-Gaara… I… er…" my eyes darted to the left and right as if I thought there was a large crowd of people watching me make a fool of myself. I thought he knew how I feel about getting married right now.

"Do?" he says with a small smirk.

Well, obviously, he doesn't. I take a deep breath and ready myself for the hardest thing I've ever done. "No… I was going to say can't." I say, my voice cracking at the end.

I don't know what hurt worse; having to say that or the look of pain that's crossing his face. I feel the tears come to my eyes, but I have to say this. I take another deep breath, "Gaara… I thought you understood. My life is so stressful and complicated right now that I don't have time to get married right now." I sit down on the floor and keep going. "We're having enough time paying for this crappy apartment as it is! How could we ever afford getting married? With my school and my job and all the stress on me right now, I don't think I could go through it." I wrap my arms around him, but he doesn't respond. He just stays there, frozen like a statue staring at where I had been sitting earlier. I feel a sharp pain in my chest and gasp to keep the tears back, "I love you so much, Gaara. I want to, I really do, I just can't right now. You understand, right?"

He doesn't respond and it worries me. _Did_ he understand? "Gaara?" I whisper.

He pushes me away and stands up. "Gaara, wait!" I stumble to get up and chase after him as he slowly walks out of the kitchen. I catch up to him and wrap my arms around him in a feeble attempt to stop him.

He pushes me off and walks to the front door. "Get out," he says as he opens the door, glaring at me.

"G-Gaara… I don't understand…" I whisper as the tears I've been holding in so long finally rush down my cheeks.

"Neither do I," he says, his voice drenched and dripping over with fury. I can tell he's covering up the pain with anger, blaming it all on me. I stare at the ground and watch my tears fall to the floor like rain drops. Maybe it _is_ my fault; maybe I deserve this.

Then again, maybe it's not. I hold my head up and return his glare. "I'm not saying no, I'm just saying not now."

"Oh? You're clarifying your rejection?" I feel a pang in my chest, but refuse to let him get satisfaction from my pain.

"It's not rejection, just procrastination."

"I see. Well, I was never big on procrastinating, so let's get this over with now, shall we?"

I know what he was getting at and the thought makes it impossible for me to swallow. "What are you implying?"

"I'm not implying anything, _sweetie_." He sneers, "I've waited all this time for you to be ready, _2 years_, Sakura! And you _always_ make an excuse. How long do you want me to wait for your sorry ass?" I he said the last part through clenched teeth.

I'm trying to respond, but the words refuse to come out and more tears roll down my cheeks. "I'm sorry…" I mumble, silent rivers rolling down both my cheeks.

"You always are," he growls as he slams the door in my face, leaving me outside in the lobby alone.

That's the only way to describe how I really feel; so very, utterly alone.


	3. The Heartbroken

**A/N: Hey Sorry, I'm updating as quickly as possible! You have NO idea what my life's like right now… sheesh. It sets a good atmosphere for writing such a story, though. So, that's good for you at least, right? o Sorry for taking so long! R&R please**

**Disclaimer: Please. Why would I be here if I owned ANYTHING here? The story's mine though, sorry **

**Chapter 3**

**The Heartbroken**

Ino felt the tears come down like rivers and soak into her black dress, her long blonde hair knotted up in a bun. _'I should've fixed things when I had the chance… I should've been nicer, I should've…'_ she thought her regrets and things she could've said over and over again; beating herself up while carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.

She let her crystal eyes drift away from the sobbing Naruto on the stage as he said his piece to the departed Sakura. It looked like everyone was here… except Gaara.

'_What happened? Weren't they __madly__ in love or something?'_ she thought. _'Did they break it off finally?'_

"she was… always so happy… she brought a smile to all of our faces," the spiky haired blonde on the stage blubbered through his speech.

Ino watched as all the friends she had grown up with and learned to loved let the waterfalls crash down their cheeks.

'_Maybe this is why you wear black… so the stains from your tears won't show'_ she thought desolately.

After the funeral ended, Ino looked for Naruto in the throng of sorrowful people. When she finally found him, it was outside the lobby, crying in a corner.

"Oh, Naruto…" she whispered. He looked up at her, his deep blue eyes red and puffy.

"H-Hey Ino-chan… I didn't thi-think you'd be here." He sobbed and tried to put on a smile. It was so pitiful that it almost brought a new wave of tears to Ino's eyes.

"Of course I'm here… Sakura and I may not have been on great terms, but… she was once my best-friend. Plus, I worry about everyone here…" Ino whispered. _'Do people __really__ think I'm that terrible?'_ she wondered in disgust.

"Wow, you really don't sound like yourself there, Ino-chan," Naruto gave a disheartening chuckle and Ino felt a lump grow in her throat.

"Well, I can't be a bitch right now… now can I?"

"I dunno. You push it sometimes," he smirked with more tears forming in his eyes.

"I'd smack you for that… but, you're beating yourself up enough, aren't you?"

He clenched his jaw. "I bet I know who did it, the bastard."

"Who did it?" Ino felt her eyes widen, "but, they said it was a car accident."

"Tch. Right, an _accident_. You only call it an accident when there's no one to blame. It's not her fault that he can't understand…" he growled under his breath.

"Naruto, I don't understand…" Ino said, hysteria making her voice rise. "What are you _saying_?"

"Gaara," he spat the name like it was an explicative.

Ino took two steps back in shock as she felt her breath increase. "G-Gaara…? No! NO WAY!" she screamed and everyone in the courtyard turned to look at her.

Naruto practically dived at her and clamped his hand over her mouth. "SSHH! Nothing's official, but they damn well better look into it." He smiled at the gathering audience as they shrugged their shoulders and turned away. _'Is this __normal__ with him?!' _Ino screeched in her head.

Everyone continued talking around them in mournful tones as if nothing had happened, and Ino felt her breathing slowly become normal again. Naruto released his hold of her when he finally thought it was safe.

"What. Happened. Naruto?" She said between teeth, making each word a separate sentence to keep herself from screaming again.

Naruto took a deep breath, "GaaraproposedtoSakurachanagainandshesaidnoshewasn'treadyandhegotallpissyandthrewheroutsoIthi—" he rambled on until Ino cut him off.

"Woah, woah, woah. Slow _down_, Naruto. Now, in English, _please_."

He took another deep breath, but spoke exaggeratedly slow this time. "Gaara proposed to Sakura-chan again and she said no," he said, nodding his head slowly. "And, he got all pissy and threw her the hell out." He speaking sped up again, but not to quite the same rate. "That was about two weeks ago, and she kept trying to contact him, but he wouldn't answer. I think _he_ did it. I don't think this was some random accident."

"But… the other man, they found him."

"You know Gaara, I bet you he hired him. I wouldn't put it past someone like him."

"Naruto, you're definitely over thinking this proce—" Ino said, but this time Naruto cut her off, grabbing both of her shoulders.

"No. You just don't get it," he said, tightening his grip as he let a few more tears roll down his cheeks. "Gaara killed Sakura. Gaara killed _my_ Sakura, my Sakura that was like my sister, that I've loved my entire life. I know he did it, I _just know it_."

He began to tighten his grip even more and Ino winced, "N-Naruto… you're hurting me," she whimpered. Naruto's face turned instantly to shock and released his hold at once.

"I… I'm sorry, Ino… I just… I'm sorry, I lost it. There's no excuse… I'm becoming like… I'm so sorry…" his voice cracked half-way through and he turned for the parking lot and broke into a sprint to his car.

"Naruto!" Ino called after him, "_Wait_!" she cried, but it was too late. He got into his silver Volvo and drove off, far too fast for the speed limit.

The crowd went silent as it watched his departure, but as soon as he left, it began gossiping. It was if their lives depended on the suffering of those around them, to prove that their life was better than others'. It was disgusting in Ino's opinion.

Without another word to the crowd, she stomped off to the parking lot with tears streaming down her face for the millionth time today, searching for her red mini-cooper.

What she didn't know is that from the woods across the parking lot were a set of jade eyes watching her ever step and ever tear she weeped.

**A/N: SO? Still interested? I hope so. Sorry, it's the best I got for now I'll try to update soon! Review, pllleeaaase?**


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